I'm finally ready to write this, it's sorta a tribute to the most incredible "grandma's" I've lost over the past six months. Back in September, Shayne and I had just got to the beautiful mountains and as he was filling up the car with gas I received a text message that read: "Grandmama died this morning", my heart stopped literally for just second and then it burst! The devastation came over me quickly but I was also filled with joy, peace and grace as I knew/ know that she had finally seen Jesus' face! You see this grandma I speak of, was not at all my biological grandma her name was Miss Elizabeth Bailey and she was just as much a grandma to me if not more than then women who do fill that role in my life. She was like NO ONE ELSE I'd ever known, she was one of the few really PURE people in this world. She had a heart for Christ and for His people and she expressed His love in the way he wants and has called us to do so, she was a perfect depiction of Him. "Miss" Elizabeth made me want to be a better person! She had a way to turn any gloomy day or situation into a rainbow. And, even when her own grandson that she so desperately adored shattered my heart into tiny little pieces, she loved me! She heard my side of the story and she knew the parts where he was tainting me and with that she assured me that she forgave me and him for any wrong doings that we had bestowed upon each other and because of her I was able to truly let it go to God and forgive him. She was at my wedding with the biggest smile on her face, I swear she was happy for me and proud to know me. But the biggest part of the story is that even in the times I was busy and didn't get by there as often, even in her moments of pain, she genuinely thought of others. She spent the last little bit of her life in a hospital uncomfortable and in pain but she still lit up when we walked through the door. And, I believe her heart was singing songs of praise to the Father for ALL those she loved, and I believe she was praying for her family, her friends, the hospital staff that was caring for her and everyone else that she didn't even know because she knew God in way that very few do. She knew that we all needed her time with Him more than she did cause she would see him shortly, and that is what makes her phenomenal! That is what made her the best grandma I've ever had, the kind that on Easter made the 3 of us bunny cakes in the flavors we liked, the kind that looked you in the eye when talking to you, held your hand when you were heartbroken, the kind that attended everything that was important to us, the kind that loved to serve dinner and listen to us all talk, she was the real deal. And, I miss her A LOT but because of her I long to live more intentionally for the Lord!
Through Love, I had another Grandma who too was a phenomenal person, her name was Brenda. Grandma Brenda was just a younger, little more hip grandma then Miss Elizabeth. But, in every way she was a Grandma who you wanted to love, and to be near often. Grandma Brenda did not have a very long life but boy did she have a life filled with righteousness, compassion, and the love of Jesus. She just like Miss Elizabeth understood what it meant to be a daughter of the Father, they both knew the secret, LOVE. She too could turn ANYTHING negative into a positive. She never would quite let Britny and I slide on talking down about people or stupid situations, instead she'd have us focus or rather find the positive in it all. She understood forgiveness and she taught that, and everything about her was PURE. She loved to have a great time, to dance, sing, talk, walk around the block on warm days, anything that brought her and those she loved happiness. All of us who knew and loved her will always be affected by how she spent her life. And, last week at the funeral Kurt spoke about just this because when you think of Grandma Brenda the only thing that can come to mind is that she was a warrior for the Lord. He spoke about her concern that she did not lead the people around her to Christ, but the dash between the dates of her life were full and in that dash she did amazing things for the Lord and his Kingdom, that's for sure!
So, everyday I take the time to thank my God for those he puts in my life either by blood or by love and I pray that my dash will also be a great reflection of Him and that by that dash I too can be a "Miss" Elizabeth and Grandma Brenda in His kingdom! I want to leave you with the poem The Dash, and I hope that it will motivate you to go out into the Kingdom and LOVE like it's your only purpose because guess what....it is!
http://www.thedashmovie.com/
I know many who have a dash worth sharing but these two, I can't say it enough, were phenomenal! They got it!
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